Honda Odyssey refreshed; named IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Honda Odyssey has a youthful, sporty, upscale look, with new black-trimmed headlights, available fog lights, a muscular hood and a blacksurround grille.

The Honda Odyssey has been refreshed for 2014 with a host of powertrain, styling, interior, feature and safety upgrades, all designed to meet the needs of today’s family.

Odyssey continues with five different trim levels available, including the wellequipped base LX model, the EX, the leather-trimmed EX L, the feature-packed Touring, and the top of the line Odyssey Touring Elite.

Key changes to the Odyssey minivan include the addition of a standard six speed automatic transmission on all trims resulting in better fuel-economy ratings, enhanced safety equipment, cleaner front and rear exterior styling, plus revised instrumentation and electronic controls.

With the addition of the six-speed automatic gearbox paired to the 3.5-liter, 24- valve, SOHC, i VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), the Odyssey continues as the fuel economy leader in the minivan segment, with all 2014 models getting EPAfuel economy ratings of 19/28 mpg city/highway.

Odyssey’s refreshed styling gives it a youthful, sporty and upscale look, and new premium elements have been added such as black-trimmed headlights, available fog lights, a muscular hood and a black-surround grille. New body-color matched side mirrors and additional bright chrome trim add to the premium appearance.

New rear styling and LED taillights with clear lenses and eye-catching perimeter “light pipes” add to the look. Weight savings come from the use of aluminum for the hood, front fenders and front suspension lower control arms. The LX model rides on 17-inch steel wheels, while EX and EX-L models have 17-inch aluminum alloys; Touring and Touring Elite models have 18- inch aluminum alloy wheels.

For the first time, all 2014 Odyssey models include standard Bluetooth HandsFreeLink connectivity, a four-way power passenger seat, Expanded View Driver’s Mirror, Pandora interface and an SMS text messaging function. New available features include the Honda exclusive LaneWatch blind spot display, Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

And here’s a new wrinkle in automotive extras: Odyssey Touring Elite models now come standard with the unique HondaVAC, the world’s first in-vehicle vacuum cleaner, which lets you quickly and easily clean-up dirt and debris from every corner of the minivan.

As for safety equipment, the 2014 Odyssey has the next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure for even greater occupant protection. The reinforced front structure improves frontal crash energy management through a wider range of offset and oblique collision modes. Just recently, the new Odyssey was given the highest rating of Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including a Good rating in the stringent new IIHS small overlap frontal collision test.

The MSRP on the 2014 Honda Odyssey ranges from $28,825 to $44,450.

Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com